1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electric vehicles and relates particularly to an electrically powered load cart.
2. Description of the Related Art
One person can use a hand truck or similar cart to transport items that are too heavy or bulky for that one person to carry from one location to another. The hand truck may also be used to carry multiple items at once, reducing the number of trips required to complete the task.
For moving very heavy items, it may be necessary to provide a self-propelled cart, allowing the operator to move items that are difficult to move with a manually powered hand truck or cart. One example of a powered hand truck is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,035 to Berry, the truck comprising a four-wheeled frame and a pivoting fork assembly. The front wheels of the frame pivot on different axes to provide  steering, and the fork assembly pivots relative to the frame only on a horizontal axis. An operator stands on a platform at a rear portion of the frame and operates the truck with hand controls. However, the truck disclosed in the '035 reference is wide due to the configuration, preventing the truck from passing through narrow openings, such as a doorway. Therefore, there is a need for a powered hand truck or cart that has a configuration and size allowing the cart to pass through narrow openings. 